Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-08-25
TIE BISHOPS STORY.

nc tt-.ht'N hs-'A ilffEN''! sil1 IA l''''''''
to uiuncr at certain IA me in o"c "f the
miliauI counties. Happening L" arrive
somewhat earlier than usual he found, on
lv.,.-. SHOW u -uin Tie drawing room that
the l,r-t,a~- ,ya> not vet down. the only Oc-
cuu4ui If The room being Ruman
Catholic prirrt-a complete stranger tn
him-who was seated uinu a sofa in
tcu,ly r.gllug l1:-c hn1k. As the
bishop entered lhc priest raised his eyes.
!u~3c him courteous hUt silent bow. and
a,~.iB resumed r.- reading. lie was n
strun.!y 1l.It. active luuliuE mau-ap-
pgrri.gl, rather "a muscular hri~I.Hu; "dl
there WAS IN his face an expression oI
wrarlurs- and anxiety that a'trariai the
ht>LuD'~ attention. and lac wondered much
within himself who he could be aud how
he came To- he invited To- that house. soon
other guests appeared. and the hostess
came down - fun "f apologies for not Toe
ing IN readiness 10 receive her guests "n
their arrival that the questions lac had in
tended 10 ask about the stranger priest
were forgotten for the time. When
seated newt tu his hostess al the dinn.i
table however. they rec urrrd To his u!erT
ory and turning to her he remarked:
'.By the way. You did not introduce ;at
40 klltlA r'h'h-lA Isl " lA's-
foGnd in the drawing room; who l., he'"
Then, looking along he tshlc. he CON
tinued with soma surprise: He does not
seem 10 have come in Ia dinner"
very stransre look passed over thc
hostess face as she said hIrTi"&iy. almost
in whisper: What, did You actually see
him. them
.'Certainlv did, " replied the bishop;
but la your pardon: ! fear nave IN
Intentionally mrUti"nr' IA subject which
is unpleasant L. yuu--,eTh2ps intruGe'i
upon some family secret. ! had no luoi
but that the priest was ~'Wptr gutS',
like myself. and hi, appearance Interested
me - murh thai wished to ask for an
introduction: hat if you are anxious Tor
sumc reason that his prr-rnce here should
bc concealed. | need hardly assure You
that you may depend upon my silence.
Nc. no. my lord. answered the host
ess It'll in low tone ''yuH ml~uudvr,land
me entirely: there j. nothing which |
wish to conceal. though this is n suhssct
which my husband does mot Ike 10 hay"
mentioned | was surprised 10 hear that
the priest lad shown himself 10 you, he
cause until nnw this has revcr happened
cxCCp; to member of Our own family.
What yCu saw was no visitor. but an ap-
partition.
An ?rpGriti5ng" ciacrIlatcd the bishop,
'l cS. continued the hostess. alu on"
whose supernatural character il i ih1p>-
>ih,c tC doubt. for during the two tE.r~
Ne have lived in this house il has shown
Itself perhaps dozen times 10 my husband
ana I4y>clf under circumstances in which
'1iasr ss.i-l.tC>ri-fn or imposition were
qul'" ont "f the question: >."cr NS cav
no. vy, lain II IN" are wei ASSURED '"'.'
II IS Cue /" no natural causes we h,.N'
decided moi 10 speak "i ii 'n' '.F one. hih
nee ECu have Sech II. my -pII- VII. l""
@ me favor
Most certainly, II II be wi'in ny
power. replied he Il nave often
Thought, ~"r resumed. tina; Il any 'i'
could he found M" had III" coUr..-t To
.dIre~S il. y" E:!ral perhaps he F>i'>'cd
from it, presence an \oU-"iH A,d-
'm:...r soGir trivial excise for ghns bach
10 IL" drawing room Tor Il few minutes
.ce if the priest lie stli IHCre' AMI Il ne
sc. srr-h to hlm-au5uFe Aiih l" u,ill'
Eum TINS h"Use-,Norci~c Ml'l' III l!''.
After s"iIe hesitation ~" bishop are, 4"
10 MAKE the rG"l">ed experiment Ills
whispered CONVERSATION with the hostess
having 3S'n apparently Hh"'NeFNS'i' 1T
excused hili!>'" '' hyr IN i"ucvr tone
Tor fc" moments ahsehce ana Itii-ti'e
room. waving hich the servant WIG
would have n tended hlm IL WAS with
strange thIII "t awe that on entering tht
drawing room lie percriNei the inquire "i
the priest -tl!l seated IN Inc same SiuI--
still d'i.-enuy Fcru>.nE Ills great hre'iar!,
# such II WIS; bat with uu>hakcn rssulu
u"n he walked Slowly l"r""r" *hh S'""u
directly IN fr'ht 81 me aph-H'i"h. -
before. the priest greeted hIh WIN Il
courteous inCilh&'l'h "l thc h'hu' "'t' 'Ni>
time. instead 81 immediately returning Il
the book. h.s eyes rested WIN Il looh ui III
hniie WEAKNESS ana YET WIN hlld "i
suppressed eaGcrness also, upon lh'
bIshop lace. Alter u moment pause
the bishop sad sicWiy ana soIeihhlE;
IN the name Nl E"u, WHO are Hou All"
what 90 N"u want.
Inc appaTitiun Closed It's Dook. rose from
lis seat. stood coitrphtlhS the hisiioi>- anu
after a slight hesitation, spoke IN 10"
but measured voice:
81 have never been so adJured before,
| VIII tell You WHO l am ana "Ha' J
want. rs you see, am priest
OF the Catholic church. aic eighty years
ago this house IN w..rh We ROW stand was
mine. w'S Il GOO" rldcr, ana was cN
trcmeiy f"nu 81 hunting Wheh opportunity
offered; and ON" day was gust about 10
start for the nelGhhorln- meet, "hen a
young lady, "t very hlEh ldnuN indeed
Called upon me for the rurrnNc of MAXIM :
"A confession " nat She SAID, "l course
may not repeat. but II affected very closely
the homer If rne Of tic n"'irH' houses "i
England: and II appeared 10 me "i
such supreme Importance that Uher.
being certain complications IN The case
COmml't'd the grave indl~crvu"n-lhe Sli
even, for II is strictly forbidden 10y 'ul
churCh-of making notes "i the confession
aS heard il. When had anS"iNrd an"
dismissed her | found that II was only
barely possible .Or me 10 reach th" ren
devious in time, but even IN my haste
did not forget the supreme Importance "'
guarding carefully lly notes Of the terri
hle sc,rct just committed 10 me. For rur
poses which need not now detail, hat
had "a few bricks looSeucd IN The
wall Gf one OF the low "r passage.